Conventionally, an RFID tag having an IC chip and an RFID antenna and capable of wirelessly writing or reading data has been utilized for data management of required data in various fields by attaching the tag to an article of various types and reading data relating to the article from the tag and writing various data relating to the article onto the tag.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating one example of a laundry RFID tag 1 (RFID tag for a flexible material product), which is a conventional RFID tag utilized by being attached to a laundry-related product or other flexible material products of various types. The tag is reusable by cleaning it after its uses in places such as hotels and company offices. The laundry RFID tag 1 includes a tag main body 2 and an RFID module or inlay 3 provided or installed within the tag main body 2.
The tag main body 2 is configured of a material with a required degree of flexibility and rigidity such as an isoprene rubber material formed into a cuboid, in which the RFID inlay 3 is molded.
The RFID inlay 3 includes an inlay base 4 made, for example, of polyethylene terephthalate or a film stack of polyethylene terephthalate, an IC chip 5, and an RFID antenna 6.
The RFID inlay 3 performs reading and writing of data required for the IC chip 5 wirelessly, via the RFID antenna 6 (data communication) based on an electromagnetic effect of radio waves in a predetermined frequency band such as a UHF band (300 MHz to 3 GHz (preferably, 860 MHz to 960 MHz, more specifically, 433 MHz, 900 MHz, 915 MHz to 930 MHz, or 950 MHz to 956 MHz), microwaves (1 GHz to 30 GHz, specifically 2.45 GHz), or an HF band (3 MHz to 30 MHz (preferably, 13.56 MHz)), or at a frequency no higher than 135 kHz.
However, specific configurations of the IC chip 5 and the RFID antenna 6 are adjusted suitably depending on radio waves to be used by each component.
For example, a communication distance of a component using radio waves having a wavelength in the UHF band (e.g., 860 MHz to 960 MHz) is typically on the order of 5 m to 10 m, and an application of such component in various fields is expected.
FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the laundry RFID tag 1 attached to a laundry-related product (e.g., a sheet 7) that may be repeatedly used. As shown in a partially-enlarged sectional view of FIG. 9, the laundry RFID tag 1 is attached in such a manner that the laundry RFID tag 1 is contained within an attachment pocket 8 provided at one corner of the sheet 7.
The finished laundry RFID tag 1 thus configured is like a so-called rubber plate, and therefore it produces a feeling of a foreign body to a wearer when the tag is attached to working wear, uniforms, or other clothes. In addition, the laundry RFID tag 1 attached within the attachment pocket 8 poses a problem that the laundry RFID tag 1 gradually becomes exposed so that a portion around the laundry RFID tag 1 or the attachment pocket 8 is susceptible to accumulation of damage during use of the sheet 7, as well as during collection and through steps of cleaning and pressing.
Further, the RFID antenna 6 of the laundry RFID tag 1 is comprised of an extremely-thin metallic foil made of copper, aluminum, or the like, or is formed there by etching or the like. There is a problem that the RFID antenna 6 is susceptible to disconnection. Accordingly, the tag main body 2 is made thick by using a rubber-base material as described above so as to protect the RFID antenna 6.
Therefore, there may be a problem that the laundry RFID tag 1 may not be sewn directly on clothing, a laundry-related product (the sheet 7), or the like. Instead, it requires a secondary component, such as a backing cloth (not depicted), be provided for the sheet 7 or requires secondary processing, such as sewing the tag while it is placed in the attachment pocket 8.
On the other hand, if the tag main body 2 is not made thick, there is a problem that the thin RFID antenna 6 may be easily disconnected due to a stress such as stress caused by bending or twisting in cleaning, possibly resulting in a failure of the laundry RFID tag 1 itself.
Furthermore, when a backing cloth (not depicted) is provided for the sheet 7 or when the secondary processing such as sewing the tag while placed in the attachment pocket 8 is carried out, the entire laundry RFID tag 1 (the tag main body 2) is covered by cloth and such. This poses a problem that it is not possible to attach a visually-seen indication for identification for a backup of information stored in the IC chip 5 to the laundry RFID tag 1 (the tag main body 2).
It should be noted that in order to provide an original design of the RFID antenna 6 unique to a user of the laundry RFID tag 1 on request, an extremely high initial cost is required and a frequency performance of the laundry RFID tag 1 is influenced, and therefore there is another problem that it is difficult to respond to such a request.